Bioware co-founder: companies have to be strong to survive “EA bear hug”

BioWare co-founder and former group creative officer Greg Zeschuk has said the developer came through its acquisition by EA intact because it was already well-established.

“I think one of the reasons that we survived and succeeded within EA was that our company was mature enough and there was enough good people throughout to handle the EA bear hug — something that is well meaning but vigorous,” Zeschuk told Polygon.

“We needed to be strong to survive that and I think we did and you evolve from that as well.”

BioWare is one of a number of developers snapped up by EA, but few have remained as independent and distinct as BioWare has. Rather than being closed or disolved into other brands, as were Pandemic and Bullfrog, BioWare has thrived, even becoming one of EA’s major divisions – a label which now fosters Mythic Entertainment.

Prior to joining EA, BioWare had won a loyal fanbase with classics like Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire. Post-acquisition, it birthed Mass Effect, arguably one of modern gaming’s most important franchises, and Dragon Age, as well as MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Elsewhere in the article, Zeschuk discusses his retirement from the games industry, stating simply that his passion had waned.

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